Friction-clutch.



Patented Jan/2|, I902.

C. RIDDERHOF.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

[Applicgtion filed Mar. 13, 1901.)

(No Model.)

W i IIQQSSQSI UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE. I I

OORNEIL RIDDERHOF, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO WILMARTH &MORMAN 00., OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FRICTION-CLUTCH;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,488, dated January21, 1902.

Application filed March 13, 1901.

'10 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, CORNEIL RIDDERHOF, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city'of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Glutches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in friction clutches, thefriction clutch here illustrated being especially adapted forcounter-shaft work, although a clutch on the same principle can be usedwherever such a clutch may be required.

The objects of my invention are, first, to produce a clutch which issimple to manufacture and highly efiicient and practical and easy tooperate and efiective to control the transmission of power; second, toprovide in a clutch an improved adjusting means whereby only a limitedmovement of the parts is required; third, to provide an improvedarrangement and combination of parts for a friction-clutch in whichthere shall be no lost motion in manipulation, and, fourth, to provide acompact and efficient actuating means for a friction-clutch.

Further objects will definitely appear in the detailed description tofollow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and meansdescribed in the 7 following specification.

The invention is clearly defined and point ed out in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is fully illustratedin the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a detail sectional elevation of my improved clutch,taken on a line corresponding to line 1 1 of Fig. 2, a portion of therims being broken away. Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal view, partiallyin section on the irregular line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailsectional elevation through the friction-shoes, actuating means, andhub, taken on a line corresponding to lines 3 3'of Figs. 2 and i. Fig. 4is a detail view of the hub and shaft and actuating rack and pinion,taken partially in section on line 4 4: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detailsectional view of the shoe-adjust- Serial No. 50,918. (No model.)

ing means, taken on a line corresponding to line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6is a detail cross-sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2, showingthe preferred form of locking-pin.

In the drawings all the sectional views are taken looking in thedirection of the little arrows at the ends of the section-lines andsimilarletters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, A is the shaft whichcontains the longitudinal groove A, which is like a long keyseat. E is arack which is adapted to reciprocate in the said groove and serves as anactuating means for the clutch, the rack being secured by screws it to agrooved collar G for the reception of a bifurcated shipper-lever orother similar means. Surrounding the shaft and the rack E, which iscontained therein, is a sleeve B, which is provided with abearing-surface like a journal and on which the pulley B is mounted andfree to revolve. This pulley B has a secondary rim B, projecting to oneside to receive on its inner surface the friction-shoes of the clutchand be engaged thereby.

Securely attached to the shaft A is a hub 0, having arms 0 projecting toone side and a counterweight C' to the opposite side. To the arms 0 arepivoted the friction-shoes D D, which are provided with faces D" D, ofleather, wood, or any suitable material, those enumerated beingpreferred. On the outer or free ends of these friction-shoes Dare-sockets D D, which receive the ends of the actuating-screws, thesame being sufficiently large to admit the ends of the screws freely.

Supported in a suitable bearingon the side of the hub O is a sleeve I),having a pinion b at its center part which projects inwardlysufficiently far to engage the rack E, before referred to, in order thatit may be actuated thereby when it is reciprocated. The cap 0 to thishearing carries the counterweight C, hereinbefore referred to. I preferto make this sleeve and pinion ofasingle piece, though it is obviousthat the same could be constructed otherwise. The opposite ends of thesleeve are internally screw-threaded, one end having a right-hand threadand the opposite end a left-hand thread. Screws a a extend into the sameand are provided with little disks a a on their outer ends for thepurpose of adjusting the same, and a pin e extends through a small eyeon the outside of each socket D into suitable notches in the disks orWheels a for the purpose of preventing the rotation of the screws andfor holding them securelyin their adjusted positions. A small cotter-pinextends transversely through the socket and pin. This pin e is thepreferred construction, although a screw 6, as shown in Fig. 1, is quitesatisfactory. The use of the disks a enables the perfect and equaladjustment of the shoes at any time to take up the wear of the same, andthus keep the pressure of both shoes exactly even. Asuitable spring, asthe coiled spring H, draws the friction-shoes D D normally toward eachother into close contact with the outer ends of the screws a a, so thatthe slightest movement of said screws is imparted to the shoes.

I have thus enumerated and described the various parts of my improvedfriction-clutch. "When it is desired to operate the clutch, theshipper-lever is moved back and forth, which actuates the rack E, whichengages the pinion and actuates the same, which causes the screws a a tomove the shoes either out or in, depending on the direction of themovement of the lever. With the tension device, as shown, for taking upthe lost motion and the adjusting means the pressure can be applied tothe friction-shoes with great accuracy and will cause the same to engagethe inside of the rim D so gradually that the machinery will not startwith a jerk, but by a gradual easy movement and without any noise. Soaccurately can this adjustment be made that any amount of speed can betransmitted by the device less than that of the driving-shaft, and theclutch can be so nicely adjusted that it will serve as a safety deviceand prevent the breakage or injury of the tools. This is obvious from anexamination of the mechanism and when it is observed that a great lengthof stroke can be imparted to the rack E, so that the pinion B and thesleeve b b can be rotated sufficiently to carry the screws a a out andin, although the threads of said screws be quite fine.

It is desired to remark that the details of this improved clutch can beconsiderably varied without departing from my invention. The means Ishow for adjusting the screws to is very simple and efficient andpossesses great merit; but other means might be adopted that would bequite effective.

It is of very great advantage to locate the actuating-rack E in a groovein the shaft, because in this position a long rack can be readily andeasily utilized, which is very desirable to secure sufficient movementto impart the required power to the friction-shoes. I have shown afacing to the friction-shoes which is very desirable because easilyreplaced when worn and possessing a high coefficient of friction, but ofcourse could be easily dispensed with, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the shaft A containing the longitudinal grooveA; a rack E in said groove with suitable means as collar G to actuatethe same; the sleeve B secured to said shaft; the pulleyB revolublymounted on said sleeve, the said pulley having a secondary rim Bprojecting to one side thereof; a hub secured to said shaft by suitablesetscrews or equivalent means and having arms 0; friction-shoes D, D,pivoted at F, F, to said arms 0; said shoes D, havinginwardly-projecting sockets D, D, at the ends thereof; a sleeve 1), b,with pinion b at the center, adapted to be engaged by the rack E,supported in a suitable transverse bearing in hub O; the sleeve b, 1?,being internally screw-threaded, one end right-handed and the otherleft-handed; screws or, a, corresponding to the ends of said sleeve;disks or, a, on said screws a for adjusting the same; and locking-pins6, extending through ears on the sides of the sockets D to engage saiddisks 0., to hold them in adjustment and prevent their rotation, and aspring H drawing the shoes D, D, toward each other, all coactingsubstantially as described for the purpose specified.

2. The combination'with the shaft A containing the longitudinal grooveA; a rackE in said groove with suitable means as collar G to actuate thesame; the sleeve B secured to said shaft; the pulley B revolubly mountedon said sleeve the said pulley having the sec- .ondary rim B projectingto one side thereof;

a hub Csecured to said shaft by suitable setscrews or equivalent meansand having arms 0; friction-shoes D, D, pivoted at F, F, to said arms 0;the said shoes D, having inwardly-projecting sockets D, D, at the endsthereof; a sleeve B B with pinion b at the center adapted to be engagedby the rack E, supported in a suitable transverse bearing in hub C; thesleeve 1), 5, being internally screw-threaded, one end righthanded andthe other left-handed; screws a, a, corresponding to the ends of saidsleeve; disks c, a, on said screws (L for adjusting the same; andlocking-pins e, extending through ears on the sides of the sockets D toengage said disks (1, to hold them in adjustment and prevent theirrotation, allcoacting substantially as described, for the purposespecified.

3. In a friction-clutch, the combination of a suitable shaft; a pulleywith a rim; a hub secured to said shaft, having projecting arms;friction-shoes pivoted tosaid arms; a spring drawing the samenormallyinward; inwardlyprojecting sockets at the outer ends of saidshoes; a sleeve with a pinion thereon supported in a transverse bearingin thehub; oppositely-threaded screws at each end of said sleeve, theends of which engage in the said sockets; a rack in a longitudinal seatin screws for adjusting the same, and means for said shaft arranged toengage the said pinlocking said disks in position, coacting for the ionand means of reciprocating the same to purpose specified.

actuate it, coact-ing for the purpose specified. In Witness whereof Ihave hereunto set my I 5 4. In a friction-clutch, the combination ofhand and seal in the presence of two Witthe shaft; the hub thereoncarrying suitable nesses.

friction-shoes; springs for holding said shoes normally inward; a rackand pinion sup- CORNEIL RIDDERHOF' ported by said hub; right and lefthand Witnesses:

1o screws actuated bysaid pinion;disks a'adapt- LEWIS T. WILMARTH,

ed to receive suitable locking-pins on said JOHN MORAN.

